A more useful umbrella term, but one that still isn't very good. I'd call pop, hip-hop, and rap electronic too, because they all use the same pattern for drums, use the same VSTs during production, and are written, produced, mixed and mastered using the same programs that one would typically associate with modern dance music.

Actually no he explained that he uses the term to describe all kinds of EDM, see post 4.

You went hardcore into music producer mode rather fast..lol. I see you are still doing it, thats a good thing. Make sure to balance that cave time with the DAW with some tennis time outside. It really helps to have that balance.

Music has nothing to do with what tools are used though. Literally nothing. It's all about sound and everything else is the journey to that sound that no one cares about except people who are learning to produce.

As for me, I currently like Kastle, Com Truise, FM attack, Tycho to name a few.

You went hardcore into music producer mode rather fast..lol. I see you are still doing it, thats a good thing. Make sure to balance that cave time with the DAW with some tennis time outside. It really helps to have that balance.

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Hell yeah I'm still producing. I haven't made any Electro-bangers as of late, I've been focusing more on finding my own sound instead of trying to make the next big-room anthem. Right now that sound is either disco or house music that's literally as many different kinds of percussion as I can squeeze into the mix. No bass, no lead, no nothing. Just boring, static, house with about a dozen different kinds of percussion. Regarding the disco, I've taken a page out of Tom Terje's book and tried to make entire tracks out of just one VST to beef up my sound design skills. And yes, it all still sucks. Royally. I'm thinking of switching up my setup and starting fresh, basically ditching all my VSTs and getting Reason and slaving it to Live. Any suggestions?

As for the tennis time, I wish!! I don't have my stuff with me at school and I'm already working out a ton; lifting every day, biking 5+ miles a day and swimming a few thousand yards per week. I wish I could play more tennis though.

Music has nothing to do with what tools are used though. Literally nothing. It's all about sound and everything else is the journey to that sound that no one cares about except people who are learning to produce.

As for me, I currently like Kastle, Com Truise, FM attack, Tycho to name a few.

Yeah it can get really overwhelming with all the vsts and plugs..etc. From what you are doing, it sounds like maybe getting a sampler like an MPC would be an awesome investment. Just to be able to load all your samples on those pads, be freed from the computer and only have the filters in the device to sculpt sound can be incredibly inspiring. Also the feel of the drums from the mpc is so good..perfect timing with feel.

I love hardware so much for making tracks. If I get a chance to sit down and write now, I always come up with better ideas chilling on my sofa with a bass or drum machine then being in work mode on my computer.

Yeah it can get really overwhelming with all the vsts and plugs..etc. From what you are doing, it sounds like maybe getting a sampler like an MPC would be an awesome investment. Just to be able to load all your samples on those pads, be freed from the computer and only have the filters in the device to sculpt sound can be incredibly inspiring. Also the feel of the drums from the mpc is so good..perfect timing with feel.

I love hardware so much for making tracks. If I get a chance to sit down and write now, I always come up with better ideas chilling on my sofa with a bass or drum machine then being in work mode on my computer.

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Yeah I tried out the MPC, I found it more suited to hip-hop though. Still an awesome little tool for cutting stuff up, however. I'll get one at one point or another. I too enjoy hardware, I have a little 25-key MIDI controller that I sometimes take out and turn off my screen and just mess about. I'd like to, at some point, get a real hardware synth and just record stuff straight off that.

There is a lot of good music being made in the electronic genre. The movement back to the 80s synth era is awesome. Of course i have always loved jan hammer soundtracks, and the miami vice soundtrack..lol. It is just good melodic composing. I hate dubstep and feel like that is what people think of right now when they think of electronic.

There is a lot of good music being made in the electronic genre. The movement back to the 80s synth era is awesome. Of course i have always loved jan hammer soundtracks, and the miami vice soundtrack..lol. It is just good melodic composing. I hate dubstep and feel like that is what people think of right now when they think of electronic.

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Interesting take. I don't personally like much dubstep, (although one track I have in my set is xKore - Last Words, which is quite good) simply because it lacks dynamics and originality. Nowadays it's just throw a vowel filter on the chain after FM8, Zebra or Massive and (then smash it to pieces through a pirated copy of Ozone) see what comes out. I dig older dubstep that was around 5-6 years ago, mainly because it was almost all rhythmic and didn't really have anything huge about it, just a bassline and interesting percussion.

I agree about the movement back to the 80s in terms of style is awesome, I've been digging lots of stuff by FutureCop! at the moment (check out the MPM remix of their track "starworshipper") as well as Tesla Boy, FM Attack, et. all. For me, though, I'm really into French House and have been doing my fare share of digging (Ourvais, Cherokee, etc...) which is always fun.

And there's always Eric Prydz, who NEVER disappointing. But he's a genre of his own.

I'm more of a fan of the older trance and electronica stuff too like ATB, Darude, DJ Sammy, Robert Miles, Paul Oakenfold, Tiesto,.. but yeah now I also like some Futurecop mixes..and some Skrillex too among others.

Techno rocks. I have spent many a great late night at clubs all over the world rocking out to techno... Womb (Toyko), Zouk (Singapore), Berghaim/Panorama bar/Watergate/Tresor (Berlin) etc. > seen guys like Jeff Mills, Derrick May, Stacey Pullen, Dave Clarke, Juan Atkins, Claude Young, Carl Craig, Surgeon, The Advent, Kevin Saunderson, Octave One etc.

The current era of techno is really top notch too. When it went all minimalistic for a few years it eventually got a little niche and high-brow but there is plenty of great stuff happening all over the place now.

Of recent times I'd say Vince Watson's 'Every Soul Needs a Guide' album from earlier this year is one of the best moments. Although not complete party techno Watson has been consistently one of the best in the business for years.

Am waiting for Robert Hood's album due shortly under his Floorplan guise. The guy has been a visionary for about 20 years right back to his Internal Empire album (remastered recently) and even earlier.

I was in berlin 2 months ago
very tough to enter Berghain, the physio at the door is a psycho
after 1 hours waiting we went inside, to hear Ben Klock mixing
very pure and very minimal sound
also very slow
it was great

But I prefer Tresor and Weekend
better atmosphere imo

At the time in 94-95 I travelled a lot in Europe so I went to belgium and that's where I discovered techno, in the Fuse and Cherry Moon
Also went to the mayday in dortmund in 97 and love parade in berlin in 2000

Last year for NYE we had jamie jones, maceo plex and loco dice at pacha marrakech
great party

At the time in 94-95 I travelled a lot in Europe so I went to belgium and that's where I discovered techno, in the Fuse and Cherry Moon
Also went to the mayday in dortmund in 97 and love parade in berlin in 2000

Last year for NYE we had jamie jones, maceo plex and loco dice at pacha marrakech
great party

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Nice one. That era was good time for techno when you could avoid the cheesy rave stuff which was happening at the same time.

I've always loved the guys who a mixed bag style like Tenaglia and Danny Howells as well - playing long sets which have disco, house, tribal, techno etc all in one. It takes way more skill to do it well over a 6+ hour period than it does to play a bunch of hits for 90 minutes like most of the cheesy guys do nowdays.

Ha ha... many people have stories about trying to get into Berghain. The huge mean-looking guy with the shaved head is pretty intimidating huh! I'm always with people so haven't had issues yet.

I have had many a good night there and also seen some crazy **** up at Panorama bar too... and that huge picture on the wall of the **** always catches first-timers out. :lol:

Nice one. That era was good time for techno when you could avoid the cheesy rave stuff which was happening at the same time.

I've always loved the guys who a mixed bag style like Tenaglia and Danny Howells as well - playing long sets which have disco, house, tribal, techno etc all in one. It takes way more skill to do it well over a 6+ hour period than it does to play a bunch of hits for 90 minutes like most of the cheesy guys do nowdays.

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Actually there's a new wave on the techno scene with new american dj and producers rising. If you like dj's mixing very different styles you're gonna love Seth Troxler, a true detroit product.

Also, there's still the king richie hawtin
Wanted to go to space ibiza this summer to attend one of the "enter" parties but couldnt make it. I really like minimal actually

Actually there's a new wave on the techno scene with new american dj and producers rising. If you like dj's mixing very different styles you're gonna love Seth Troxler, a true detroit product.

Also, there's still the king richie hawtin..

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I'm a Detroit lover from way back so Hawtin's thing isn't really my bag. I've seen him shred a few times but he's also quite famous for completely bombing probably 20% of his gigs because he just does he thing regardless of whether the crowd are into it. It's the downside of touring non-stop, often these guys have no local benchmark to go on when they step up to the deck - or laptop in case. He's done tons to further the techno style of DJing in terms of Traktor but I'm more into the Derrick May sort of style - rough, raw and much more varied in the sorts of music played > and by someone who will do whatever it takes to get a floor rocking. Hawtin DJs more with a band mentality nowdays - he will play his set and the crowd can take it or leave it.

Troxler is not totally my thing but is cool for sure. Would prefer to see him over 95% of the DJs out there.

You're not missing anything by not going to Ibiza if you're into techno. The vast majority of techno guys who play there tone their selection down majorly for the mostly cluless crowds that go there. Whenever something gets a rep in Ibiza the pressure is on the promoters to make it as big as possible because they know they've only got a couple of years to make $$ before they're gone (Loco Dice - remember when he was Mr Big in Ibiza?.. where is he now? The crowds they got ended up being totally antisocial drug addicts which will never work out for more than a season or two). Definitely better to see them at one of the European weekender festivals or in a club - unless you just want the big beach-side party experience.

Speaking of decks..I do miss decks so much. It set a bar that is now gone. I help book DJs here sometimes and it is so annoying how these guys with zero skills come in and make diva demands and tell me they "know what they are doing" when they tell me how the house EQs should be set..lol. Hate hate hate those guys, and we have a ton of no talent Fullsail kids with laptops masquerading as DJs here right now.

Speaking of decks..I do miss decks so much. It set a bar that is now gone. I help book DJs here sometimes and it is so annoying how these guys with zero skills come in and make diva demands and tell me they "know what they are doing" when they tell me how the house EQs should be set..lol. Hate hate hate those guys, and we have a ton of no talent Fullsail kids with laptops masquerading as DJs here right now.

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Vinyl made dj's technically better
But the way to merge songs and actually pick them right, plus felling what the crowd wants is the secret of a good dj IMO.
I tried VDJ and Traktor after many years of MK2 and it is easier of course but it also has a lot of positive points.

About Ibiza and the level dropping: you're right Bobby. Europe showcases have nothing to do with ibiza. Totally different objectives. I've seen Villalobos in Paris and in Ibiza and it was fkin different, in a bad way.

You obviously dont know what you're talking about.
I have classic piano background and I can assure you that you can get the same thrill listening to techno or to mozart's introitus/kyrie.
Some might say you should take pills or lsd to feel the music but I disagree

Vinyl made dj's technically better
But the way to merge songs and actually pick them right, plus felling what the crowd wants is the secret of a good dj IMO.
I tried VDJ and Traktor after many years of MK2 and it is easier of course but it also has a lot of positive points.

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To me the secret of a good DJ was both. That was the bar I am talking about. In all honesty, I have well built spotify playlists I have streamed in our venue that have everyone dancing and pulling out their Shazam apps. I don't consider myself a DJ at all, but I know I could easily be one if I wanted to.

Speaking of decks..I do miss decks so much. It set a bar that is now gone. I help book DJs here sometimes and it is so annoying how these guys with zero skills come in and make diva demands and tell me they "know what they are doing" when they tell me how the house EQs should be set..lol. Hate hate hate those guys, and we have a ton of no talent Fullsail kids with laptops masquerading as DJs here right now.

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Simple solution: if they suck, don't book them again.

I used to be anti the whole computer DJing thing but as the products have gone through a couple of generations I've come to really enjoy what Serato especially has to offer. People in a bar/club shouldn't be concerned over what method the DJ is using, only that it is well done and appropriate for the surroundings. The issue with young guys is often that they've had access to thousands of tracks (generally with little regard to audio quality also) so they have not developed the level of craft that a DJ who used to buy vinyl would have.. Vinyl was expensive so DJs generally had to be very frugal, ruthless in what they would buy - so the whole selection aspect of their music was generally much, more more fine-tuned. Vinyl taught DJs about scarcity of product, how to hustle a floor and finding a balance between fresh and familiar (all relative to the venue/scene mind you) which if very uncommon in DJs who have access to everything and had little time to learn about a *quality funnel* for their music. Their answer to tricky situations or warm-ups is simply playing hits - and there are so many you can do it all night... so the finesse of having a DJ get a night going appropriately, slowly getting people into the mood and complimenting or leading the changing vibe of the night is almost non-existent unless someone is particularly talented at DJing.

Digital DJing doesn't preclude any of this happening but it's just worth realising a big chunk of the learning path has changed because of it, not least also because it's rarer for young guys to be mentored in their DJing at clubs which used to be commonplace across the world.

You obviously dont know what you're talking about.
I have classic piano background and I can assure you that you can get the same thrill listening to techno or to mozart's introitus/kyrie.
Some might say you should take pills or lsd to feel the music but I disagree

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You can probably get the same thrill listening to a monkey take a ****, but I'm not sure what that proves (except that what gives this or that person a thrill is a personal thing).

But the way to merge songs and actually pick them right, plus felling what the crowd wants is the secret of a good dj IMO.

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I'm not sold on this... From over 20 yrs experience I can tell you crowds do not know what they want, but they do know when they are enjoying it. They're not the same thing.

I liken good entertainment of most forms as being like when you get a great meal from an restaurant - they didn't ask you to tell them what should be in it (other than broad strokes), and you don't tell them how to make it, but somewhere in their magic skillset they come up with something you love, but didn't necessarily know you wanted. McDonald's might be plainly obvious what you're getting, but you will never get memorable food there. A good club night will be mystical and memorable and the road to that never relies on playing music everyone expects all night.

McDonald's is like pop music, nice restaurants are all the sub-genres of music. Everyone goes to McDonald's because sometimes it's just convenient - but it doesn't make it good food. They're just predictable and safe.

A DJ ideally should be the person with the knowledge and experience to shepherd the crowd, entertaining them with a selection which is fresh but not over their heads and familiar but not obvious. The balance is the key and where most DJs fall short - especially those with few hours playing in warm-up situations. Being able to see what is working is key - and not panicking and resorting to playing hits as soon as something doesn't work is an absolute must for any DJ to ever rise to being any better than some guy playing top 40 hits in a pub.

To me the secret of a good DJ was both. That was the bar I am talking about. In all honesty, I have well built spotify playlists I have streamed in our venue that have everyone dancing and pulling out their Shazam apps. I don't consider myself a DJ at all, but I know I could easily be one if I wanted to.

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Yeah DJ'ing is almost too easy these days. I don't DJ but one of my brother's friends brought Traktor and his decks over for a party a few months back and it took me literally 2 minutes to learn the whole thing and start mixing. The whole emphasis must be on track selection, I guess, which doesn't help when you have a bunch of kids who only want to hear bangers for 2 hours.